So I have a 66 plate 1.6 TDI Skoda Rapid SE  which is used as a taxi and has now done 101,000 miles. Today as I was changing down gear to drive up hill the revs suddenly started to shoot right up towards the red line so I cut the engine off quick as possible. I restarted the car after a moment and it seemed ok but after a few yards it happened again and I quickly cut the engine off again.  I waited a minute or so before restarting it again and it seems to be running fine again now but I decided just to make my way home. I have checked my oil level and it seems fine but my fuel level was just above the red. I did hear a slight rattle or clicking just before it happened. Anyone any idea what the cause could be?

So, putting a few things together, change down to go up hill, low fuel level? Have you just starved the engine of fuel and need to fill up?

 

Sometimes in my 1.2TSi if I'm getting low on fuel (petrol) if I swing round a tight bend or start to go up a steep hill it would ping the low fuel light on, it's just what I've noticed over the years. Did your low fuel light come on too?

Hi, no fuel light never came on, just sudden acceleration as if I had my foot to the floor.

Well i decided to drain and replace the oil myself as I suspected I may have diesel in my oil due to too many short journeys and dpf not being regenerated. I used a 6 litre drain pan and it over filled by probably a litre or more. I have spoke to a mechanic I know who says that the engine probably did start using the oil as fuel.

@stevie1981

So a faulty injector can be the reason for diesel in the engine oil, best monitor your oil level closely.

Is the car still under the Manufacturers Warranty.

If so be sure that you know Skoda have on the system your concern while it is.

unfortunately not under warranty anymore

If it were consuming its own oil, an uncontrolled diesel engine runaway it would not have stopped when you turned the ignition key to the off position without forcibly stalling it in gear while holding on the brakes, I note that you did this twice.

 

Nonetheless your oil level is of serious concern and may have perhaps corrupted a sensor, get a VCDS scan done and sort out the oil dilution problem ASAP.

arn't these modern diesel engines fitted with an airflow cut off valve or something to prevent that? 

You drained 7 litres out of the sump!?

 

This is without doubt the reason for the unexpected increase in engine speed.

 

Your engine oils lubricating abilities have been severely diminished, given it has been diluted with over 2 litres of diesel fuel.

 

Depending on how long it has been like this you could be looking at a severe case of engine wear and bore wash etc.

 

I doubt this amount of contamination is from interrupted DPF regens, I'd be looking for leaky fuel injectors, sooner rather than later.

I've had the car serviced every 10,000 miles since new which is usually around every 3 months.  Now at 101,000 miles this is the 1st issue I've ever had with it, there is no starting issues, no noticable loss in performance or no noticable rise in fuel consumption. never had a dpf warning light come on, no rough idling and no smoke. I have now done an additional 290 miles since changing the oil and it still seems to drive like the day I bought it. 

Keep a very close eye on the oil level.

On 17/11/2019 at 15:00, stevie1981 said:

arn't these modern diesel engines fitted with an airflow cut off valve or something to prevent that? 

 

Yes, and in this case it probably saved you from buying a new engine.

 

Others have not been so lucky in the past, you need to get your car diagnosed before it happens again, that's an obscene amount of diesel to have in the engine oil but I can't understand you saying that the level looked ok but then went and took  6/7 litres out o the sump?

Edited 18 November, 20196 yr by SuperbTWM

well sounds like it's time to vt the finance agreement and get a new car then.